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The Project
SHINE-MetLife Foundation Health Literacy Initiative
builds partnerships among universities and community
based-organizations nationally to address the health literacy
needs of elderly immigrants and refugees.
This
initiative is funded by a generous grant from
MetLife Foundation.
Participating Institutions
City College of San Francisco
Emory University
Metropolitan State University
Minneapolis Community and Technical College
San Jose State University
Temple University
Utica College
General
Information
Information about the initiative including background, objectives, funding, and contact information.
Resources
for Teaching
In order to help ESL learners
communicate with healthcare providers and learn more about
staying healthy, SHINE created ESL health units which can be
used by tutors and teachers. The units offer content about
health topics, such as dealing with emergencies and managing
health problems, along with listening, discussion, reading, and
writing activities.
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These materials are for educational purposes only and
are not a substitute for professional medical advice and
care. The information provided should not be used for
diagnosing or treating health problems. If your learners
suspect that they have a health problem, they should
consult a healthcare provider. If they find a topic in
the materials that is particularly relevant to their own
health issues, encourage them to discuss the topic with
their doctor. |
Selecting the Right Units
for Your Learners
To find
the units which are the best match for your learners or group of
learners, start by determining your learners’ English
proficiency and the health topics in which they are most
interested. These links will guide you through choosing the
most suitable units for your learners:
Is your learner advanced beginner or intermediate?
What are your learners’ language needs and goals?
What health topics are your learners interested in?
Tips for Being a More Effective Tutor
Communicating with someone that speaks a different language can
be difficult. Here you can find some tips for being a more
effective tutor. This section includes such topics as:
Teaching Vocabulary
Tips for Teaching ESL Reading
Managing Discussion Activities
Teaching Listening Skills
Tips for Working with Beginning Learners
Multilingual Health Resources
Some learners, especially those with limited English
proficiency, may find it easier to access health information in
their native languages. This section offers a variety of links
to health education resources in more than a dozen different
languages.
ESL Health Units
Designed for
older immigrants and refugees learning ESL, these units can be
used by learners of all ages who want to improve their English
and communicate more effectively in healthcare settings. There
are five units on varying topics related to health and
wellness. Each unit offers activities to improve listening,
speaking, reading and writing skills, along with a Real Practice
section which encourages learners to apply what they have
learned to their own lives.
If you have
already determined your learners’ proficiency level and
interests, you can click on the appropriate level to access the
units. Units are available at two levels:
Advanced Beginning
Intermediate
Additional information about the SHINE ESL Health Units
This section
provides background information unit development and how the
units were designed to help immigrants achieve communicative
competence in a healthcare encounter.
Needs Assessment
The ESL
Health Units were developed with input from older immigrants and
refugees who participated in focus groups and interviews
conducted in Philadelphia and San Jose. Click
here for a summary of the final
report, or here to download
the full Patient Listening: Health Communications Needs of
Older Immigrants report.
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